Relax and Re-Focus

The blissful days of summer are over. Many of us are completing major and university requirements while filling the remainder of our schedules with work. Students that work, live on their own, or pay their way through school may have additional stress added to their lives. Exams are approaching, and many students will now be in the depths of the library study spaces trying to captivate intelligence via osmosis and diffusion.

I generally don’t get stressed easily. From the days of yore, my parents taught me to complete one task at a time, schedule my day and maintain a tranquil mentality no matter what was going on around me. I was able to keep this up through most of high school, but “midterm season” at MSU, which spans from the midst of September to the week before finals, can make it exceedingly demanding even for the calmest person to remain relaxed.

For me, stress and panic set in before a midterm. It’s important to balance all your work with a little fun and remember that having a sense of humor can help you through these trying times. College life is bound to be stressful, but there are plenty of coping mechanisms that can relieve the stress, making your college years more enjoyable.

First, restructure your study environment and the way you study. Study with the people who have positive vibes. If you study with another stressed-out person, you won’t have a productive study space at all. Make sure to include study plans with some fun breaks, but not too many. A short break is a great way to reward yourself for your hard work. I used to take a break every 40 minutes after studying, which helps me concentrate. The majority of students still believe that a protracted time with their notes, textbooks and subject matter will somehow bolster their memory. However, it is impossible for anyone to concentrate on a subject that long. Try watching your favorite Netflix comedy show. Remaining optimistic releases hormones in your neurons that help you deal with stress during midterms.

Secondly, I would recommend a retreat to nature. There are so many miracles of nature in Bozeman, and it’s always good to explore them whenever possible so they can soothe your mind. When Iview the splendor of nature, my minuteness is accentuated, and myniggling problems disappear. For me, a simple hike to the mountains can create peace in my mind. I find that even just looking up at the sky helps me relax.

Finally, grades have a fundamentally nil effect on your future career, your future success,  or the buying price of your future mega-yacht. I have asked one question to every professional I met: when you applied for your first job straight out of college, did your employer ask to see your transcript, especially grades? The response was always “No.”

So, what do these grades mean, in general with a few classes a semester for four years? Countless hours buried in a book, stress and  stress-induced consequences such as high blood pressure and vomiting? The stress you feel about grades is frivolous compared to the important things in life. Five years from now, you probably won’t even remember some of the classes you took in college, much less the grade you received. Society places unnecessary importance on numerical values and letter grades. These do not form the lasting interactions which sincerely matter in existence of a person.

Weeks ahead will be tough for all, but you’ve made it through some tough times previously, and there is no reason why you can’t do it again.